Noro!
by Elven-Tear
Summary: Thoughts of Legolas horse. Written for Teitho-Contest "Animals of middle-earth".


Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.

English isn´t my first language, I´m sorry about any mistakes in this story.

Many thanks to my beta-reader Ferrari-Stu and Racingbradley.

**Noro!**

A soft breeze makes the leaves whispering softly. The flowers look even more red, yellow and purple as the Golden rays of sunshine stream through them. How peaceful nature is today! I have not seen my master as carefree and joyfull in a long time as he had been this afternoon. His heart had been singing, his mind reached out to the trees around us. The shadows had seemed so far away. It had been the peace we both, my master and me, had longed for so badly after being on patrol for more than four months.

How much I hate being on patrol, to see my master´s golden light, his joyfull soul, being dimmed by the shadows creeping over our home. The moaning of the trees are becoming a silent pain for me and it hurts me even more to see how much my master is being affected by this all.

It had been so nice to see him today, back in the light enjoying his beloved nature. Singing birds, murmuring in the woods. Peace, so much peace!

I failed him!

Trees whispering around me: Noro Glawar, noro! Bring him home safely!

Oh, how badly I failed him! My master, my friend, my brother, my heart!

His dirty, bloody hands now desperatly clasp my mane, his golden hair mingling with my silver mane, as his head dangles on my neck, his face buring with high fever. Rest, my master, I will not let you fall. Save your strenght!

Noro Glawar, noro! He will not last for much longer!

I failed him!

We had rested on in the clearing for a while, when the ancient trees had warned us about darkness creeping to us from the east. Legolas had taken his bow from my back. How much I had hated to see a fierce look wiping away all the happiness on his noble face.

"I sence the menace too. There may again be grave danger for my people. We need to know what evil Dol Guldur has spiten out to us again. Stay with the trees, Glawar, be safe." He gently stroke my neck, offering me some comfort and seeking it from me at the same time. Then he was gone.

Many times he had left me behind to check some unknown or known menace, but this time seeing him sneaking away had sent a sudden chill over my fur.

I failed him!

Noro Glawar, noro! It is not your fault!

Uneasiness had gripped me, waiting for my master to return. I sought comfort from the old trees, but not much time had passed, when they suddenly screamed out to me, warned me to leave.

Yrch!

At once their evil, rotten smell and dark voices filtered through the soft summerbreeze.

"I am hungry!"

"The elven horse is mine!"

"What a feast!"

Why did I fail to escape? Why did I not see the rope the Orcs had erected on the ground? Why did I allow them to get their filthy clutches on my silver fur? I had been flying over the meadow, following the soft sent of my master. Joy overwhelming me, the dark creatures had not seen him.

I FALL!

Sniggering orcs around me.

"What a nice elven-horse! It will taste delicious!"

Oh Valar, please let them not hunt down Legolas, please let him get away! He has suffered enough in his life!

Noro Glawar, noro! Stop blaming yourself!

Stop blaming myself? Oh my beloved trees, I failed him so badly!

He had been far away and would have easily escaped them, made his way back to the safety of the palace, to his father, his friends, his trees, his life!

Why did he try to rescue me?

Noro Glawar, noro! His golden soul shines through him!

His life is so much more precious than that of a horse. What will become of Mirkwood if it is to lose her prince? The grief of this loss would show less mercy than the shadows of Dol Guldur, eating away all joy from the woodelves.

The scimitar had sparkled maliciously in the bright afternoon-sun. Expecting the merciless blow from my pursuer, I had squeezed my eyes tight shut.

Instead of feeling overwhelming pain I had been surprised to hear the orcs angry snarls. An arrow had killed their leader who had been about killing me.

NO!

Do not fight them for my sake! I am not worthy of that!

The air was full of arrows then. Soon the green grass had been covered with dead orcs, black blood soaking the peacefull meadow, poisoning pure nature.

The flood of arrows had ceased. My ears could clearly make out the jingling sound of deadly blades crushing on one another.

Only one orc left! Soon he joined his filthy fellows on the ground. My master had killed them all!

Delightness flowed through my whole body.

Deceiving delightness!

Noro Glawar, noro! You could not have foreseen it!

A cautinary neigh suddenly filled the clearing, but my warning had come too late! One of the orcs we had thought to be dead had rose behind my master. It happend so fast! Legolas had whirled around and stabbed the filthy creature with one of his twin daggers.

NO!

A nightmare! Please Valar, let this be a nightmare! With horror I had seen the falling orc stabbing his dirty evil blade deeply into my master´s shoulder.

I failed him! He should not have come back for me!

Noro Glawar, noro! Do not feel guilty!

Horror had flown through my whole being when I saw Legolas´fair features twisting in overwhelming pain when he started trembling and convulsing violently.

Poision!

The thought had hit me harder than any orc-blade could have done.

I failed him!

Suddently a strange calmness had overcome me. I had to act quickly I knew or he would be lost. Carefull not to harm him further I had knelt right next to him and nuzzled him softly. How much it burned my heart to hear his painfilled moans. The poison searing through his veins had made it an almost impossible efford for my master to mount. After what felt like eternity he had been safe on my back. All I could do then was gallop, gallop as fast as the wind. My master´s moans increased when he was tossed around on my back. From time to time I could hear him cry out. Never ever will I forget these piercing cries!

I failed him!

To cause him more agony by galloping so fast made me feel sick, but I knew I could not dare to lessen my pace. With every minute the poison stole more away from his shiny being and pulled him closer to darkness.

Noro Glawar, noro! Bring home your precious burden!

I can feel my master´s life slowely ebbing away, his breath becomes more shallow with every moment, his heartbeat weaker. His cries out from the sharp pain feel like blades piercing through my heart. He killed them all, rescued me from certain death! Now it is he who is dying. I need to bring him home, need to gallop faster. Will the healers be able to defeat the dark poision burning his veins?

Noro Glawar, noro! Do not loose faith!

The palace gate! I can spot it now clearly before me. This journey had felt like an eternity.

I am not gripped by relief, the danger is not over yet.

We are at home, but did we get here in time? I cannot feel my master´s heart beating anymore. It takes everything from me to keep him on my back, to adjust my way everytime Legolas threatens to fall down. He seems to be unconcious, his desperate grip on my mane has loosend. Has he already gone too far? Are we too late? Oh Valar, please allow him to live!

We pass the huge ancient tree next to the palace door. How often I have stayed here, waiting for my master when he was up in the branch to talk, to learn even more about the wood as he already knows, to seek comfort from the old oak, when the shadows overwhelming his home had been to much for Legolas´ caring heart to bear.

I failed him! He is gone, I cannot feel his breath carassing my neck anymore. Oh please let the healers be able to bring him back!

Passing with a desperate hurry, I almost miss the soft touch of one of the strong branches on my fur.

Estel Glawar, estel! The darkness has not yet defeated him!

·


End file.
